Molecular assemblies grown between metallic contacts on insulating surfaces

Contacting single molecules and molecular assemblies and determining optoelectronic properties is one of the most challenging topics in the field of molecular electronics. According to this purpose, the contacting of one- and two-dimensional molecular assemblies of asymmetric cyanoporphyrins and Au nanoclusters was developed. Furthermore, Kelvin probe force microscopy gives the opportunity to access electronic properties of the molecular assemblies and to distinguish the molecules from Au nanocontacts. The change in the dipole moment density related to geometrical changes within a molecular wire contacted by two Au nanoclusters on a KBr single crystal substrate is observed and analyzed.